on to Rio de janeiro
By Catalina Morales Alvarez
The morning of Wednesday March 22 began by waking up early to pack our bags and head to the airport for our flight to Rio de Janeiro. The flight takes only about an hour, but it offers breathtaking views of the Brazilian coast and the vast Atlantic Ocean. Immediately after landing and the plane doors opened we felt the change in temperature and the high humidity in the city. Upon arrival in Rio, we headed to a restaurant near Vermelha Beach where we indulged in some traditional Brazilian foods like Moqueca de peixe e camarao, a fish and shrimp stew in tomato sauce.
Next, half the group decided to hike up the first mountain while the rest of us took the tram up to Sugar Loaf Mountain. Sugar Loaf Mountain, also known as Pao de Acucar in Portuguese, is a granite peak that rises 396 meters (1,299 feet) above Rio de Janeiro's harbor. The mountain gets its name from its shape, which resembles a loaf of sugar. The top of the mountain offers panoramic views of the city and the surrounding landscape, making it an ideal spot for photography and sightseeing.
The cable car ride offers stunning views of the surrounding hills and the harbor below. Once meeting up with the hiker group, we took the second cable car up to the top. The view from the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain is truly breathtaking. Visitors can see the entire city of Rio de Janeiro, including the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. The view also includes the Christ the Redeemer statue, which stands atop Corcovado Mountain and is one of the most famous landmarks in Rio. Once at the top we walked through a path that surrounded the mountain where we could cool down in the shade of the many trees and beautiful flowers. We also got to see little Marmoset monkeys in multiple trees at the top. At the peak of the mountain there are many restaurants and shops for visitors to enjoy. We stopped for a refreshing drink and took in the beautiful views of the city below. Due to the altitude we were occasionally surrounded by clouds that would block our visibility and once they passed would reveal a gorgeous view.
